Ayiti Cheri

KANAVAL Collection- an introduction letter from our founder

HDC Fam & friends-

I’m so excited to share with you this week the launch of our new collaboration collection with Studio Baboun: KANAVAL!

Studio Baboun is a creative house based in NYC with proud roots in Haiti. Founded by Haitian artist and provocateur Steven Baboun in 2022, Studio Baboun is a world of innovation, color, provocation, and unmatched creativity. Studio Baboun works with artists and brands from all over the world to create meaningful and exciting storytelling through experimental film making, photography, set design, large-scale textile installations, video installations, and more.

I’ve been following Steven Baboun’s work over the years; I’ve fangirled over his strikingly colorful art direction and cried laughing at his hilarious alter-ego @marie.claude.bebi. I’ve also been inspired by his story and the way he vibrantly lives representing all parts of himself- Haitian, Syrian, Queer, lover of Christ, Artist, Performer, and more. His vibrant, signature look of draped bright and bold textiles instantly takes me to the spirit of Kanaval- and hearing about his personal connection with what Kanaval season meant to him growing up made this collection’s theme a no-brainer. Although Kanaval season is technically over, the spirit of what it represents is something we want to celebrate year round. (And I know you’ll find these playful and bright pieces especially perfect for your beach travels this summer!)

One aspect of Steven’s story, being a part of the Queer Haitian community, really echoed many other stories I’ve heard throughout my time living in Haiti. It felt very important to me that this collection supports and advocates for an organization on the frontlines fighting for one of the most vulnerable and underserved communities in the world- the LGBTQ community in Haiti. That is why we chose to partner with KOURAJ- an organization fighting for protection, legislation, and representation of the “masisi” communities in Haiti. They are also working to reclaim the term masisi- a notoriously violent and derogatory term meant to isolate and harm those who identify as queer within Haiti. 

Growing up in America, I’ve seen a huge evolution over the years of representation and advocacy for the LGBTQ communities. While there is a ways to go, especially in the heartbreaking current political climate, I still see cultural acceptance and protections that the queer community in Haiti have never been afforded. What is most striking to me about this is what Haiti’s history represents to the world- FREEDOM & LIBERATION. Haiti’s revolution created a ripple effect of liberation for the world, yet its queer community has never experienced cultural liberation aside from the brief moments of Kanaval. 

Why is Haiti Design Co, an artisan accessories company, advocating for queer rights within Haiti? 

Because I firmly believe as a brand our job is to use our platform, no matter how big or small, to ask questions and start conversations that advocate for, bring justice to, and uplift ALL Haitians- no matter their economic status, what language they speak, their immigration status, their sexuality, or their gender identity. We are here for all. 

And if we’ve learned anything from history, it is that love and good wishes alone do not bring change. Silence does not stop the violence, and my friends, this community is experiencing violence on a daily basis. We cannot look away. From day one our mantra at Haiti Design Co has been the Haitian proverb “Men Anpil, Chay Pa Lou”, meaning “Many Hands Make the Load Light”. The heart of HDC is just that- to lighten the load of our brothers and sisters, and we all are in fact brothers and sisters- no matter race, religious beliefs, status, or sexuality. 

Our new collaboration collection with Studio Baboun is first and foremost FUN! It’s playful, it’s tropical, it’s for everyone! It also has a deeper meaning and further impact. I invite all of you to join us this Sunday (April 24th) at 5 pm EST for an IG Live conversation with the founder of Studio Baboun, Steven, and the founder of KOURAJ, Hetera Estimphil. 

I recognize that for some of you this advocacy may make you a little uncomfortable- that’s ok. I invite you to come with an open mind and heart. Come ready to listen. The most important thing we can do in seeking justice for the vulnerable is to humanize the person, to see past our differences and find ourselves in them. I invite you to come ready to do that. 

To Queer community in Haiti- we see you, we love you, we know you were perfectly and uniquely created just as you are. 

And I thank you for your continued support of our artisans and your allyship with the Queer community in Haiti! Please check out the links below to see more ways you can support.

Limyè ak lanmou pou tout!

-Chandler Hamilton, Founder of Haiti Design Co

Donate to KOURAJ

THERE IS NO HAITIAN NEW YEAR WITHOUT SOUP JOUMOU

HAITIAN NEW YEAR TRADITION : SOUP JOUMOU OR INDEPENDENCE SOUP

January 1st is such a special day for the Haitian community. Not only because it marks the start of a new year but most importantly, because on January 1st, 1804 Haiti made history by being the first Black republic in the world and the first country in the Western Hemisphere to abolish slavery.

On this day, you can be sure that every Haitian family will be found enjoying the traditional independence soup: Soup Joumou, which is our symbol of freedom and independence.

Why soup joumou? Well the story behind it is, slaves were not allowed to drink the soup during slavery days. It was a meal reserved for French masters. When Haiti defeated the French and won their Independence, they gave this previously forbidden food a whole new meaning. The soup became a symbol of Haitian independence and freedom.

Whether you like your soup Joumou vegetarian or full of meat, with pasta or without, there are so many different ways of making this delicious soup, which shows our beauty and diversity!

We had the chance to sit with Gaëlle Lissade, a Haitian food lover and connoisseur now living in Europe. She not only talks about her passion for cooking but also about how she lives Haitian Independence Day in her kitchen!

My name is Gaëlle Lissade, founder and creative mind behind Come over I’ll make dinner. A unique dinner experience concept, inspired by Haitian dinner traditions. I was raised in Haiti and immigrated to the US to attend college in 2010, where I studied Political Science. I have spent the past few years, working in diplomacy.  And as of recently moved to Germany from the UK.

I always find it so interesting when someone asks me when my love of cooking started. Honestly, I can’t remember. Food has been such an integral part of my life since my younger years. My grandmother and my godmother both cooked and baked professionally, and of course my mom is to date the best chef I know. I’ve always been surrounded by food, and I loved that, I loved being in the environment, tasting and watching. But I do know that my love of cooking steamed from my love for dinners. 

I loved Sunday dinners around the table, or just going out to eat with friends and family. From there it turned into me wanting to participate in those happy moments. I started going to the kitchen and learning hands-on all the intricacies of home-cooking from my mother and our cooking-maid. And that was it! I made a shrimp tart, as my first meal and that was it, I was hooked!

What does Independence Day mean to you, as a Haitian cook?

Well, first being Haitian, it’s the premise of our history, conquering adversity to the path of freedom, tradition and family. As a Haitian cook, I think it’s the day to cherish and translate that history and tradition, to commemorate and pay homage to those that have paved the way for us to be here today. It’s the first day of the year where we bring people together around our “Soup Joumou” and an opportunity to share our culture with the world as a part of our founding fathers’ vision for our nation to be the lighthouse of freedom and unity. 

When did I learn to cook Soup Joumou?

Like I said earlier, I don’t really have a clear memory on when I learned to cook. Since it is such a staple in our households, on January 1st or just on Sundays’ I’ve always really observed and from there when it came time to do it, I tried using the techniques I’ve seen my mom use and made it from there.  But again, honestly it wasn’t until recently that I feel like I’ve successfully mastered the art of making a hearty Soup Joumou

Can you share your recipe?

Of course, but I don’t want to take the entire credit since this is my mother’s recipe with a few modifications to make it accessible to the international crowd. Soup Joumou is laborious, but an absolute sign of love and absolutely worth experiencing.

 

Ingredients 

2 slices of Giraumont / Winter Squash

4/6 carrots roll cut

½ of a white cabbage + 1 Cabbage leaf 

2 radishes peeled and cubed

6 russet potatoes cut in cubes

¼ Malanga and ¼ yam (Optional)

3 Cloves, poked into a green scotch bonnet pepper (Not optional)

2 Culantro (Shado Beni) leaves and thyme** 

Seasonned Beef Shanks*

½ cup of macaroni

1 leek

½ onion chopped

 

Preparing the Beef Shanks*

Wash and clean your beef, using the traditional method, or treat to your liking. Pat dry and add in your Haitian seasoning, mustard, a little sprinkle of adobo (until the ancestors ask you to stop), hot sauce, salt and a few sprigs of fresh thyme. Massage the mixture into the meat and let rest at least 30 minutes. (This can also be prepared and left in the fridge overnight)

In a medium to hot pan, add 1 tbsp of olive oil, and your beef. Brown on all side and reduce the heat and cover.  The juices (sauce) that will be created with this steaming will bring a depth to the soup

Picture Credit @Msavorythoughts

Preparing the Soup

Peel your Giraumond, clean and remove the seeds along withany extra strings. Once cleaned, add the vegetable to a pot of water and bring to a boil until it softens.

 

Once it is done cooking, remove the giraumon from the pot and place it in your blender, using some of the cooking water continuously until it becomes well diluted.

Using a strainer, pass the mixture in your stock pot. Add more hot water as necessary to help extract the rest of the giraumondfrom the strainer.  

Bring your stock pot to a medium-high boil. Add in your carrots, radish, leek, the cloves and green scotch bonnet. 

 Using a cooking thread, tie together the thyme and Culantroleaves, then wrap them in 1 cabbage leaf. Add the rolled cabbage leaf into your stock pot. Note that it must be removed before serving.

Cover, and leave on a medium-heat for 15 minutes or until vegetables have soften and are fully cooked.

In the meantime, remove beef shanks from the heat.

Once the carrots have cooked, slowly add in the pieces of beef, potatoes, malanga, yam and macaroni. Stir occasionally to avoid clumping of the ingredients.  Cover and let simmer on low/medium heat for 20 minutes. 

 If the soup thickens more than you would like, add in some hot water.

And now for the secret ingredients

In a hot pan, add in some olive oil and add in chopped onions. Cook until brown and caramelized. Using one ladle, pour your soup mixture (just the liquid) over the onions. Immediately turn off the heat.

Using a strainer, strain the soup and onion mixture, adding it back to the big pot of soup.  This is an absolute game changer. 

 Give it a good mix, correct your seasoning accordingly and it’s ready to serve. Of course, with some warm Haitian bread and butter!

What special touches do you add to your soup?

The caramelized onion part of my recipe is absolutely what elevates the flavor of the soup in contrast to the other soups of the world. The process is referred to as “Commander” and it absolutely adds a great layer of sweetness and depth.

Favorite thing about being Haitian?

Our gastronomy! I think I can unbiasedly say that Haiti has one of the best foods in the world, and that’s one of my goals with Come Over I’ll Make Dinner, to invite people to experience this amazing food the way it should be, with amazing flavors and surrounded by friends and family. 

Make sure you stay in touch with Gaëlle and the magic she creates in the kitchen by following @comeoverillmakedinner.

An update from Haiti

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Hey friends!

Thanks for taking the time to be in this space and support us in the way that you do. I’ve wanted to send an update for a while, but it’s been hard to put words to all the feelings of the situation that continues to cause so much pain and fear in Haiti.

For many it seems the news on July 7th of the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse was a huge shock. I was reading so many headlines in the international news and across social media as if this was a heartbreaking tragedy that was out of the blue. I want to acknowledge the pain and trauma that the former President’s family is experiencing- no one should have to live through that. And simultaneously must say that hundreds of families in Haiti, particularly in Port au Prince- in Village de Dieu, in Martissant, in Delmas 32, know this pain and trauma all too well as it has become the norm of day to day life since 2018, but particularly this year.

Leading up to July 7th, we had experienced on-going peyi lock since the summer of 2018. We had experienced a 200% increase in kidnappings; leaving the house with an uncertainty if you would return became the new norm. We saw the remaining infrastructure of a democracy crumble as the current regime laid a path towards dictatorship. We saw already hurting businesses (ours included) take a devastating hit as the currency was so drastically manipulated last fall. We heard violent threats that were acted out from gang leaders as they expanded their control in many areas. We saw innocent lives such as Evelyne Sincere tragically taken from this earth as kidnappings with no consequence became the norm. We mourn the lives of truth seekers such activist Netty Duclaire and journalist Diego Charles who were not afraid to speak out against the corruption. The physical threat of people speaking out in Haiti is all too real- that’s where we are today.

This all needs to be acknowledged because July 7th was not an isolated event- it was the pot boiling over that has been on the edge for a while.

What I’ve expressed above does not at all encompass the layers of political and international transgressions that contributed to the state of Haiti today, but it does give you an honest sense of what’s been happening in our world.

This space, Haiti Design Co, is meant to be one that uplifts and elevates the beauty and talent of Haiti. Sometimes we have to find a balance between doing that and being honest with what’s going on. Over the years in the wake of a natural disaster or political turmoil we have directed people in this space to buy Haitian made products or donate to a specific project of impact in Haiti. And with a heavy sigh, here we are again. How many more of those messages can we share? It’s all been said.

We try our best to stay focused on what we CAN do- creating jobs, holistic employee support, business start up, promoting Haitian made. Yet…. Many times lately it feels futile.

There is so much around us that can make us feel as if we are drowning- so much uncertainty and elements out of our control. But what I know to be true, to be real- is the impact in our little community from these jobs created. I know there’s a lot we can’t fix, but there is a whole lot of good when we focus on what we can fix.

There continue to be light carriers along the way- local business owners who refuse to give up. Those warriors pressing on against all odds- building, growing, and investing in Haiti based businesses and services. Those who refused to let their joy and vision be stolen from the situation and push forward to invest in the impact they can have around them. And also the customers- you amazing beings showing up to support Haiti made and keeping us working during these dark days.

So today I want to thank those heros (well mostly Sheros really). Thank you for giving us inspiration.

Ou pa janm te bag vag 🖤

Below I’m going to link some of my favorite local Haitian-made businesses that I encourage you to support! Another big support to us would be you joining HDC Fam, our monthly contributors that support our holistic employee programs. You can donate once or join HDC Fam below.

Keep carrying the light forward friends! Pa lage!

-Chandler

Co-founder of HDC

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Haiti-Made Brands We Love

PEYI LOCK

hdc fam haiti design co

Day 4: TOGETHER IN THE STRUGGLE

“A long time ago, Haiti used to be a prosperous nation in the Caribbean. A few years ago, Haiti wasn’t facing what it currently is.

This year has been full of hardship. Gas shortages. Food shortages. Corruption in the government and private sector- all of this leading to what we call “Peyi-Lok” or a “Country Shut-down”.
Streets are barricaded and roads are blocked, forcing people to stay in their homes- unable to sell or go to work, and kids can’t go to school. For me personally, it’s been really hard. There have been many days when I can’t go to work, and a lot of times the streets are too dangerous to go out. Some days I tried to leave my house but I got threatened and had to turn around, or had things thrown at me while driving my motorcycle.
What’s sad is that when you are at home, you should feel comfortable and safe. But it has turned into something else, because now when you are home you don’t feel those things, instead you feel frustrated, scared, and sad. You aren’t home because you want to be, you are home because you are forced to be by protestors and gangs.
The Peyi-Lok has really affected my spirit, and I feel like I have been traumatized by the things that I have seen, and by the fear I have felt. One time I was on my way home from work and my brother and I accidentally drove into a violent riot- where tires were burning everywhere. We were terrified by being hit by bottles or rocks that were being thrown, we drove like crazy to get out of there. I have had friends that fell victim because of the lockdown. My friend’s father was run over by a car trying to escape from a manned roadblock, I had another friend who was shot after a gang robbed him while driving his motorcycle. They both died because of the lockdown.
More people are hungry. It’s harder to get food when businesses can’t get produce delivered. It’s hard to feel safe at all now, you used to feel like you could call the police if you got into trouble, but now the police are so preoccupied by the situation- it’s like there isn’t enough to go around. Honestly, they probably couldn’t even make it to you in time because of the road situations.
So it’s a hard time in Haiti, but I will say this- Haitians stand together. People are helping each other survive- they share food, they share resources because they know others are going hungry or don’t have money because they lost their job or can’t make it to work to get paid. Haitians are resilient, it’s not the first time that we have had to face such trials as a people, and it certainly won’t be the last. But I always find that we make it through together, we always help each other through it.”

carl haiti design co

As we continue in the week of #HDCFam, we reach a core value that is especially important to us during this difficult time, being together in the struggle. Today’s essay was written by Carl Mathiew. Carl is the head of sewing on our leather team. He is also a member of our advanced english class and wrote this feature based on his personal experience of peyi lock.

While this phase has been extremely difficult, it has been a great comfort being able to pull together as a team during this time. When we can make it to work- be with community, commiserate, and do our best to support one another and encourage one another, it reminds us that we really aren’t alone in it all.

And many thanks to each of you who make this opportunity possible for us through your orders! You keep us working and give us motivation for a new day.

To further support our team members in more impactful ways, please consider being a part of HDC Fam.